[MontanaRocknReefer]

Hi Folks!

Well the lumber industry is having hard times now that we are on a "world wide" competition for the wood products! Canada poses a big threat with their lumber coming down across the border!
Stimson Lumber Co. whom I work for just closed their large mill in Libby, Montana and sold it piece by piece. Our 10 year contract with Plum Creek for trees is up this November and we have heard rumors that when we go on vacation starting June 26th we may not be coming back! Rumors are rumors but I have seen some come true since I have gone through 3 companies, this one being the fourth for the same mill site.
In some ways it would be a blessing as I would definately go back to Vermont as our families are there. I would miss my kids but Missoula is their birth home and my son has already said he would never leave Missoula!
If the worst case scenerio came true, I would have to tear down our reef tanks and sell it to the LFS and would really miss everyone here until we got settled in Vermont.
The only reason I posted this is my gut feeling says "It's going to happen" on a trickle down basic as one mill after another for Simpson in Montana are gone! They just acquired two mills in Idaho and their mother ship mill is in Washington and this I believe is where they are going!
I am tired of the mill scene and something new would be in order for me and my life with Pat! We will see what happens so wish us well and life is a long journey down a road that we can't see the end of but it's a journey well worth taking!

 

[Doug1]

Johnny I sympathize with you, I left mill work behind in 89 after 16 yrs here in Southern Oregon, the lumber industry was going T*ts up, at one time there were 30+ mills in the area now there are 2 and they are shaky. I was fortunate when the klast one I worked in closed, they had made no arrangements or preannouncement to the local employment office so consequently the retraining bennies never materialized, so I wound up collecting rockin chair and doing side jobs to get by, then got into med field by a fluke.
Itas a dino man, take the $ and run

 

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Your probably better off now Doug in some ways!

I drove to work this morning and walked into the foreman's office and lied to his face about why I could not be there today and left!

I don't know if it's job burn out(34yrs) or I know the end is near!

I talked to a fellow co-worker this morning before I left the plant site and the boss was telling him that when they auctioned off all the machinery at the mill in Libby yesterday why didn't they bring their fork lifts down to our mill since we are in bad need of them?

Also found out that Home Depot has put a hold on all lumber that we were selling to them!

St. Louis where we ship alot of wood for Home Depot has stopped taking our orders as well!

Well I think Montana is destined to be a "rich man's playground" and the logging industry will be gone for a few years anyways!!

Another mill in St. Regis is suppose to be in trouble as well. I believe there is only 22 mills left in Montana and most are small!

Well I may become a "Travelling Man" like Ricky Nelson's song!

 

[Reedman]

Man Johnny, that's a drag. I feel the pain. I graduated from college with a BS in Forest Engineering thinking I would do timber harvest layout and road design. Since then the government here in Washington has convinced themselves that they don't wipe with paper. We don't need to harvest trees.

Ugh! I guess we'll import everything. Good luck to you. I wish you the best, but I fear your gut feeling is correct for more that just Simpson. I think all of the forestry companies are in trouble.

-Reed

 

[Buzz_Hog]

If you remember one thing, remember this...... "Always look for the silver lining...."

There is always a silver lining to be found... People run into ruts when they forget that and fail to look/find it... Keep the faith and everything will work out for you and Pat...